IMAGE: NATIONAL PEST MANAGEMENT ASSOCIATION
As we announced in May, the annual National Pest Management Association (NPMA) Academy event, sponsored by Corteva Agriscience, has shifted to a virtual format. NPMA and the Leadership Networking Community, the group that hosts Academy, are committed to making this a successful event packed full of innovative programming and high-energy team-building opportunities.
Instead of three days of programming, we decided to turn Academy into a virtual eight-week program. It begins on July 9, and runs through Oct. 8, with events taking place every other Thursday from 3 p.m. to 4:30 p.m. EST. Each session is approximately 90 minutes long, and includes a variety of keynote presentations, interactive team-building tasks, and Learning Lab breakout sessions focused on business management.
Academy 2020 will offer something for everyone. Participants have the option to choose full registration at reduced pricing to include all eight sessions and be placed on a team, similar to the original face-to-face format. Or participants can choose the new a la carte registration, and pick which sessions appeal to them and fit their schedule. This is the perfect opportunity for those who may not have had the chance to attend Academy before to experience the energy of the event. It also means that if you’re reading this after July 9, you can still experience many of the sessions.
MOTIVATING KEYNOTE SPEAKERS
Kenyon Salo, known as the “James Bond of Motivational Speaking,” will show Academy attendees how his three simple concepts of living “The Bucket List Life” will guide you to fulfillment on your lifelong journey. During this highly energetic, engaging presentation sponsored by Corteva Agriscience, you will learn how to create phenomenal experiences, share powerful stories, and help others along the way.
Galen Emanuele’s dynamic keynote, sponsored by Syngenta, could profoundly affect the way you communicate with and lead your team. Through simple skill-building activities, Emanuele will teach Academy participants how to create a cohesive “Yes, And” culture to skyrocket team performance and engagement. You will laugh and learn, coming away with new, powerful tools to enhance your leadership abilities, self-awareness, emotional intelligence, and capacity to drive exceptional culture within your organization.
MORE OPPORTUNITIES TO LEARN
Academy 2020 will have three blocks of Learning Labs instead of two. Sponsored by BASF, the interactive labs allow participants to share ideas and gain a new perspective on how to better manage their businesses and employees. This year’s topics include:
- Customer Service: It’s Everyone’s Job
- Creating a Culture of Ownership
- Recruiting a More Diverse Workforce
- Sales Metrics/Key Performance Indicators (KPIs)
- Creating a Leadership Development Program in Your Company
- Family Business: Transitioning Between Generations
MORE OPPORTUNITIES TO COLLABORATE
If you ask a past attendee about Academy, you’ll hear about the Academy Olympics and fun networking opportunities. Attendees who choose the full registration option this year are assigned to one of the Academy teams, and will compete in a variety of games throughout the virtual conference.
You might be wondering, “How will we be able to compete as teams if we are only seeing each other virtually?” While the games may look a little different, the goal is to have the Olympics function similar to a typical face-to-face Academy. Full registration participants will still be assigned to a team, and will have team captains to help guide them through this new process.
If you have ever had Academy FOMO (Fear of Missing Out), this is the perfect opportunity to join your pest management peers for what is undoubtedly going to be an Academy to remember for years to come. Check out the full program and flexible registration options at Academy.npmapestworld.org.
Find updates about other industry events impacted by COVID-19: Pandemic affects status of industry events
Read more COVID-19 coverage here: MyPMP.net/COVID-19
STUMPF is the chief executive officer for the National Pest Management Association. You can reach her at dstumpf@pestworld.org.
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